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Standalone Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Standalone books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: April 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Standalone series? Start with "Summer Bird Cage" (1963) and follow publication order through all 19 books.
The complete Standalone reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order

Summer Bird Cage
1963

The Garrick Year
1964

The Millstone
1965

Jerusalem the Golden
1967

The Waterfall
1969

The Needle's Eye
1972

The Realms Of Gold
1975

The Ice Age
1977

The Middle Ground
1980

The Witch of Exmoor
1997

The Peppered Moth
2001

The Seven Sisters
2002

The Red Queen
2004

The Sea Lady
2006

The Pure Gold Baby
2013

The Dark Flood Rises
2016

A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman
2011

The Gifts of War
2011

The Plays of Margaret Drabble
2018
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